The invention relates mainly to a method and apparatus for cleaning floors.
It is known to make apparatuses for the automatic or semi-automatic cleaning of floors. These apparatuses must perform a complete sweeping or cleaning of the surface of the floor to be cleaned. An example of a particularly efficient apparatus is described in French Patent 86 17356. This apparatus, moving along the walls of the room to be cleaned, includes a cleaning device or devices that are deployed in a direction perpendicular to the general direction of advance of the apparatus. The sweeping or cleaning actions are initially performed while the apparatus is at rest. Thus, after the cleaning of a first strip of floor has been performed, the apparatus advances by a length that is less than the width of the cleaned strip of floor, and the operation of deploying the cleaning devices is then repeated.
However, this device exhibits many drawbacks. Furthermore, this prior art device is cylindrical and must be able to pass through the doors and the standard openings made in buildings to allow access therein. It is found, therefore, that its diameter and consequently its surface on the floor are very limited. Thus, its stability is precarious. Further, the wheels are of a small diameter and the motors generate a relating small amount of power. The apparatus, proceeding along both walls, must travel a considerable distance, thus lengthening the cleaning time.
In this prior art device, it is possible to limit the length of the deployment of a hose provided with a cleaning nozzle. Normally, this length of deployment is equal to half of the width of the room. Even in this case, there are surfaces, particularly at the corners of the room, that are cleaned several times, this successive cleaning lengthens cleaning time. Additionally, the distance of travel corresponds to the length of the four walls of the room, possibly increased by obstacles that the apparatus must negotiate, thereby resulting in a cleaning time of a typical room of approximately six minutes. The width of the nozzle is limited to half the diameter of the apparatus. The small diameter of the prior art would limit the width of the nozzle to approximately 26 cm. Therefore, the complete cleaning of a typical room would necessitate performing a large number of sweeps, a source of delay.
The prior art apparatus must proceed along the walls of the room, thereby creating a track in the floor caused by the wheels. Also, the rotation of the guiding wheel is always performed exactly at the same place, which risks causing wear or at the very least, marking of the carpets.